Why I started:
Hi, I'm Maria, a somatic breathwork guide, retreat facilitator, and women's coach. For years I was a corporate baddie by day and a woo woo lover and teacher of all things mindfulness by night. I was living two lives: the one that looked right on paper, and the one that made me feel alive. In 2020, my coaching business took off and matched my corporate salary, with clients across the U.S., Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. That was my sign. I went from corporate girl to medicine woman, and I've never looked back.
What I love about being a business owner:
What I love most is the freedom to create experiences I wish had existed for me. Retreats, one-on-one coaching, group programs, and facilitator masterminds are all built around women and their bodies. I DJ and curate the music live during my breathwork sessions, so every journey is its own creation. I also love coaching from home and building a life that matches what I teach.
What type of impact do you hope to have on those you meet and/or who purchase your products?
I see myself as an activator. I hope to wake women up to their dreams, their desires, and what's possible for them. Through breathwork and nervous system work, I help women build the capacity to hold more joy, more pleasure, and more goodness. I want them to be fully present in their lives instead of watching from the sidelines.
Who or what inspires you?
I'm inspired by the women who show up and choose themselves, often for the first time. I watch them breathe through years of holding it all together and come out the other side lighter, softer, and more powerful. I'm also inspired by the women who came before me and never got permission to want more.
What is your favorite piece of advice you've ever received or favorite quote?
My favorite advice is to stop waiting to be ready. Your body knows the way before your mind catches up. My guiding words are: "You are allowed to be unapologetically more."
What does BEAUTY mean to you?
To me, beauty is a woman who is fully in her body. She is present, regulated, and lit up from the inside. Beauty is aliveness. It has nothing to do with being polished and everything to do with being real.
What advice would you give your past self just starting your business?
I'd tell her that her story is her medicine. The parts she was tempted to hide, like the corporate years and the double life, are exactly what would make women trust her. I'd also tell her to say clearly who her work is for, and who it isn't for.
What would you like our Beauty Boost members to know?
You don't have to keep holding it all together. Your body has been carrying so much for so long, and it's safe to let some of it go. There's a version of you waiting on the other side of your next breath. I'd love to help you meet her. Come find me at @awakenwithmariabrito.
